Magnesium-aluminum-silicate-phosphate catalysts for ammonialytic cleavage of lactams to form omega-aminonitriles

ABSTRACT

Ammonialytic cleavage of lactams to omega -aminonitriles is effectively promoted by the use of compositions of magnesiumaluminum-silicate-phosphate on a substrate as catalysts.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,886,196

Cobb [451 May 27, 1975 MAGNESIUM-ALUMlNUM-SILICATE- [51] Int. Cl. C07c 121/02 PHOSPHATE CATALYSTS FOR [58] Field of Search 260/465.2, 465 B, 464,

AMMONIALYTIC CLEAVAGE OF LACTAMS TO FORM OMEGA-AMINONITRILES Raymond L. Cobb, Bartlesville, Okla.

Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, Okla:

Filed: Dec. 3, 1973 App]. No.: 420,879

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 329,557, Feb. 7, 1973, abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 879,635, Nov. 24, 1969, abandoned.

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl 260/465.2; 260/464; 260/465 B Primary ExaminerJoseph Paul Brust [57] ABSTRACT Ammonialytic cleavage of lactams to w-aminonitriles is effectively promoted by the use of compositions of magnesium-a1uminum-silicat-phosphate on a substrate as catalysts.

17 Claims, N0 Drawings MAGNESIUM-ALUMINUM-SILICATE- PHOSPHATE CATALYSTS FOR AMMONIALYTIC CLEAVAGE OF LACTAMS TO FORM OMEGA-AMINONITRILES This application is a continuation in part of Application Ser. No. 329,557, filed Feb. 7, 1973, now abandoned which was a continuation of Ser. No. 879,635, filed Nov. 24, 1969, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the production of w-aminonitriles from the corresponding lactams. In another aspect, it relates to unique magnesiumaluminum-silicate-phosphate catalysts.

Lactams are internal or cyclic amides. The reaction involved with the catalysts of my invention converts the lactam to an w-aminonitrile by a cleavage reaction with ammonia. The reaction involves removal of the oxygen from the lactam molecule with the formation of water, and the addition of another nitrogen to the molecule to form a nitrile group on one end of a chain-like molecule with an amino group on the other end. There can be various substituents around the lactam ring, and consequently along the w-aminonitrile chain.

The aminonitriles are valuable chemicals since they are readily convertible to diamines or to other compounds useful as polymer precursors. For example, commercially available nylons are essentially long linear chains of amide groups separated by 4 to 11 methylene groups. One basic method of preparation of such nylons utilizes a condensation reaction of diamines with dibasic acids, for example hexamethylenediamine with adipic acid.

It is desirable to obtain maximum conversion of the lactam to the corresponding w-aminonitrile in order to have a commercially feasible production process.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of my invention to provide catalysts effective to improve the ammonialytic cleavage of lactams to the corresponding w-aminonitriles. Another object is to provide for maximum effectiveness in one or more of yield and conversion in the production of w-aminonitriles from lactams.

Other aspects, objects, and the several advantages of my invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention most nearly pertains from the following description and from my appended claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have discovered that catalysts of magnesiumaluminum-silicate-phosphate composition serve to greatly enhance this conversion reaction to which I refer. These catalysts are unique, and are peculiarly effective in the conversion of lactams to w-aminonitriles by improving at least one of conversion and yield for the ammonialytic cleavage under quite moderate reaction conditions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The ammonialytic cleavage reaction to which I have referred can be illustrated by the following:

1 3 catalyst C=N 2 C (III) The lactam as shown by formula (I) above is called a lactim in the tautomeric or enol form as shown by formula (II) above. The reaction, perhaps, may be more readily visualized as being between the enol form and the ammonia. Whether the cleavage is considered as occurring on one side or the other of the nitrogen of the lactam is immaterial. The resulting non-cyclic w-aminonitrile is represented by formula (III) above.

Various substituents can be on the carbons of the lactam ring and consequently along the carbon chain of the w-aminonitrile, as shown by the R symbols in for: mulas given above. R can be hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or combinations thereof such as alkylaryl or arylalkyl and the like, and can have in the range of l to about 8 carbon "atoms provided that not more than. 10 carbon atoms are contained in the total of R groups per lactam molecule. The n is an integer, and can range from about 3 to 9, inclusive.

EXAMPLES The examples which follow demonstrate the operability and effectiveness of the catalysts as I apply them to the ammonialytic cleavage reaction according to the process of my invention. These examples should be considered illustrative and not as limiting. The examples represent a series of runs with varying catalysts and with varying reaction temperatures. The evaluation of the results of these runs was made with the aid of analysis by gas-liquid chromatography. With this procedure, the chromatographic peaks corresponding to reactants and products were identified and compared with one another on the basis of area percent, the area for each effluent constituent being defined by the base line of the chromatographic curve and the chromatographic peak for that constituent. While area percent is not necessarily identical with either weight percent or mole percent, it is nevertheless, a commonly used and reliable method for comparing the relative effects of reaction variables, such as different catalysts, within a given reaction system.

In the examples given, conversion is determined by subtracting the area percent of lactam in the catalyst- The second aqueous solution then was added to the first aqueous solution containing the substrate, and the whole mixture stirred for a few minutes. Thereupon, the resulting suspended material was filtered, and

containing reactor effluent based on the total area of 5 washed with deionized water. The filtered washed mathe effluent excluding ammonia, from 100. Yield perterial was dried in air at 150 C. to a constant weight. cent is determined by calculating the area percent of These compositions were utilized to catalyze the amlactam which had been converted to the desired monialytic cleavage of lactam to w-aminonitrile. Comm-aminonitrile in the effluent from the reactor. parative runs using other materials under the same re- During each run, the stream from the catalystaction conditions showed far inferior results, this comcontaining reactor was periodically subjected to gas liqparatively demonstrating the high order effectiveness uid chromatography. The lack of a peak for the original of the catalysts of my invention when used in this prolactam indicated complete conversion. The gas liquid cess. chromatography peak for wamin0nitrile determined For each run, caprolactam, normally a solid material, the area percent of w-aminonitrile in the stream portion was heated to a temperature of about 130 C., and so made up of the w-aminonitrile plus any unsaturated niconverted to a molten or liquid state. The lactam was trile. maintained at this temperature in a molten condition A series of products is formed in the ammonialytic while ammonia gas was passed through the molten macleavage of a lactam. These include the desired terial at the rate of 1.9 g per minute. The ammonia gas w-aminonitrile, as well as a series of minor amounts of was at one atmosphere of pressure and had been preintermediates of an unsaturated type represented by heated to about 375 C. prior to contacting the molten lactam. R R R R The vaporous effluent from this procedure was a mixl I ture of ammonia and caprolactam vapor, and con- H c c=c c CN I tamed 1n the range of from about 75 to 100 moles of R Y R 1 ammonia per mole of lactam. This vapor stream was then conducted to a stainless steel reactor of 1 inch di- Whefein y and Z are integers Such that y Z 2 as ameter containing about 100 cc (cubic centimeters) of Well as unconverted lactam, ammonia, diluent if y is catalyst. The catalyst charge was retained in the vertiuSed, and Sometimes minor amounts of p y N0 cal tube reactor by a plug of glass wool and some alpha polymer was formed, however, in any runs in the folalumina at the bottom f h reader lowing examples. The temperature of the reactor was controlled and EXAMPLE I varied by an electric furnace in which the reactor was contained. Thus, for each catalyst tested, the stream of y Catalysts for those runs of this example p y g ammonia and lactam vapor mixture was passed through my invention were prepared using three different the catalytic reactor for about 20-30 minutes, the reacstrates. tion temperature was noted, and the reactor effluent The first solution was prepared us g 247 g (g was sampled for analysis by gas-liquid chromatography. mole) of magnesium Sulfate heptahydrate and This process was repeated for several reaction temperg mole) 0f aluminum Sulfate hydrated 4O atures, samples being taken at about 275, 300, 330, (l8H O) in 600 ml (milliliters) of total solution, using 360, 400, and 425 C. The conversion and selectivity deionized water. To this first aqueous solution was then lt bt i ed with h t l t i h a t added 100 g 0f the Particular substrate in finely ture series were plotted on a graph as a function of revided particulate form. The substrate was maintained action temperature. To compare the effectiveness of in suspension in the first solution by stirring. the catalysts, the conversion and selectivity were read A second aqueous solution was prepared of 28.5 g of from each curve at a point corresponding to 375 C. resodium silicate (water glass) and 30.6 g (0.1 mole) of action temperature. These standardized and directly trisodium orthophosphate hydrated (l2H O) in 150 ml comparable data so obtained from these series of reactotal solution, again using deionized water. tions are shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE I Conversion Yield Run Area Area No. Catalyst Per Cent Per Cent Invention: l Wuminum-phosphate silicate on alumina"" support 97 88 2 Magnesium-a]uminum-phosphatesilicate on silica gel support 90 96 Magnesium-aluminum-phosphatesilicate on diatomaceous earth support 83 98 ML 4 -y-alumina"" 90 25 5 a-alumina 10 100 6 AlPOj 65 87 7 g3( -l)2' 2 47 98 TABLE I Continued Conversion Yield Run Area Area No. Catalyst Per Cent Per Cent 8 13X molecular sieve 57 82 ""An 80-200 mesh chromatographic grade a-alumina ""A 28-200 mesh silica gel (Grade l2, Fisher Co.) "Laboratory grade diatomaceous earth (Johns Manville Col) From Harshaw Chemical Co., Cleveland, Ohio, a tablcted activated alumina containing 99% AI O balance moisture.

a-Alumina was obtained from Harshaw Chemical Co., Cleveland, Ohio. The material used was a tableted, sintcrcd, or-alumina containing 99 per cent A1 remainder moisture.

Laboratory grade in pellet form Laboratory grade in pellet form 13X indicates a pore size of about A.

The data in Table I above demonstrate clearly that my magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate catalysts are superior to related materials or components alone. Distinct improvement in conversion or in yield, or in both factors, is shown by the use of my catalysts.

Catalyst Preparation My catalysts can be prepared by any suitable procedure effective to prepare the catalyst compositions I have described. Preferably, I use the method described in Example I above. A first aqueous solution is prepared from magnesium sulfate and aluminum sulfate. To this first aqueous solution is added a substrate such as alumina or silica or a combination thereof. The substrate, of course, is relatively insoluble and so makes an admixture or slurry in the first aqueous solution.

A second aqueous solution is then prepared from a silicate and an alkali metal phosphate. The second aqueous solution is then added to the first aqueous solution with the substrate, and the whole then stirred. The solid components of the mixture are then allowed to settle.

The material which separates from the admixture is my catalyst, a magnesium-aluminum-silicate-phosphate material precipitated onto the substrate. This catalyst material is then filtered or otherwise removed from the remaining solution, such as by decanting or centrifuging, washed with water, dried, to give the catalytic compositions which I employ.

Quantities of magnesium, aluminum, silicate, and phosphate compounds employed should be such that a balance of cations and anions is effected in the magnesium-aluminum-silicate-phosphate precipitated. In genera], in the magnesium-aluminum-silicate-phosphate precipitated, the mole ratio of magnesiumzaluminum ions can be in the range of 99:1 to 1:99, but is preferably in the range of 5: l to 1:5; the mole ratio of silicate:- phosphate ions can also be in the range of 99:1 to 1:99, but is preferably in the range of 5:1 to 1:5. The catalytic composition of substrate plus magnesium-aluminumsilicate-phosphate can contain in the range of from 0.5

to 99.5 weight percent of magnesium-aluminumsilicatephosphate, more preferably in the range of 15 to weight percent of magnesium-aluminum-silicatephosphate, the remainder being the substrate to total 100 weight percent.

In the preferred method of preparation that I have described, the term magnesium sulfates includes the natural or synthetic MgSO,, anhydrous, or the monohydrate kieserite, or the heptahydrate epsomite. Various alkali metal double salts are also suitable. These latter include langbelinite K SO .2MgSO,; leonite K SO,.M- K SO ..MgSO .6l-l O; bloedite Na2SO .M- gSO .4H O; and ammonium double salts such as boussingaulite (NH SO .MgSO,,.6H O; and the like.

The aluminum sulfate component can be obtained in various natural or synthetic forms such as the anhydrous AI (SO the highly hydrated alunogenite A1 (SO .l8l-l O; as well as a yariety of combined salts with members of the alkali metal group and including ammonium. Examples of such combined salts include kalinite KAI(SO 1 211 0; NaAl(SO,) l 2H O; NH AI(SO LiAl(SO.,) lRbAl(SO CsAl(SO and the like.

For my substrates, I can use any of the naturallyoccurring or synthetically prepared silicas; or any of the aluminas such as a-alumina, "q-alumina, y-alumina, and including the fluoride compound-treated aluminas; or combinations thereof such as silica-alumina, alumina-boria, alumina zirconia, and alumina-beryllia. The term silica includes finely divided particulate sand, quartz, flint, charcedony, opal, agate, diatomite or diatomaceous earth, synthetically prepared silicon dioxide, as well as combined forms containing silica such as silica-zirconia, silica-titania, silica-boria, and the like. Various other substrate combinations are effective including silica-alumina-zirconia, silica-alumina-beryllia, silica-alumina-titania, silica-alumina-boria, and the like. Suitable combination substrates further include physical mixtures of two or more substrates. Any similar substrate is effective as a support.

In the preferred method of preparing my catalyst, the second aqueous solution is made up of a water-soluble silicate together with an alkali metal phosphate or ammonium phosphate. These water-soluble silicates include any of the ammonium silicates or the alkali metal silicates, disilicates, metasilicates, orthosilicates, anhydrous or hydrated. Ammonium is included, since in an aqueous solution ammonium ion closely resemble potassium ion, being virtually identical in size thereto. Only the Group IA silicates of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium, and the ammonium silicates are sufficiently water-soluble to be useful. This is Group IA of the periodic table of the elements as it appears on page B-3 of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 49th edition, Chemical Rubber Company, 1968. The soluble silicates can include the sodium silicates such as water glass Na O.XSiO where X can range from about 3 to 5; sodium disilicate Na Si O sodium metasilicate Na SiO sodium orthosilicate Na SiO in any of their anhydrous as well as various hydrated forms. For example, the metasilicate can be an hydrous, pentahydrated, monohydrated.

My second aqueous solution further contains an ammonium or an alkali metal phosphate, with the alkali metals being as defined above. A wide range of phosphates are suitable and effective. For example, sodium hypophosphate Na P- O JOI-I O; sodium dihydrogen hypophosphate Na H P O .6l-l O; sodium hexametaphosphate (NaPO sodium trimetaphosphate (Na- PO .6H O; sodium orthophosphate Na PO .12H O; sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate Nal-l PO including anhydrous, dihydrate, heptahydrate, dodecahydrate; sodium pyrophosphate monohydrate, dihydrate, and anhydrous; sodium monohydrogen orthophosphate Na l-lPO including anhydrous, dihydrate, heptahydrate, dodecahydrate; sodium pyrophosphate Na P- .1011 0; sodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate Na H P O .6H O; sodium triphosphate Na P O which is frequently termed sodium tripolyphosphate; and any of the equivalent ammonium or other alkali metal phosphates; and their anhydrous, partially hydrated, or fully hydrated forms. Additionally suitable are combination salts such as microcosmic salt NH NaHPO AH O.

Either crystalline or powdered salts can be utilized in making up the solutions, though powdered materials usually are preferable as more quickly providing solution or dispersion. The water to make up the solutions as well as the solutions themselves can be at any convenient temperature such as room temperature, but somewhat elevated temperatures can be used, if desired, in order to more quickly provide solution or dispersion.

Other methods of preparation of my catalyst compositions are suitable. For example, it is feasible to add the substrate to my second aqueous solution, and then pour this admixture into the first aqueous solution as I have described. Or, other magnesium salts could well be used, and solutions could be made up of, for example, an alkali metal sulfate and a magnesium phosphate, since a variety of synthetic and naturally-occurring magnesium phosphate salts are slightly, though sufficiently, soluble in water, such as newberyite Mgl-lPO H 0, and the like.

Nor is it necessary to make up merely two solutions. Different salts can be made up in separate solutions, and then all poured together along with addition of the substrate in order to prepare my catalysts. For example, aluminum sulfate can be dissolved separately, sodium silicate separately, magnesium phosphate separately, ammonium sulfate separately, then all poured together, a substrate added, and the whole admixture allowed to react precipitate together and separate out to form one of my catalysts.

Of course, it is within the concept of my invention to utilize combination solutions, such as a mixture of aluminum sulfate and potassium aluminum sulfate in my first aqueous solution; sodium metasilicate and lithium disilicate in making up my second aqueous solution; ammonium monohydrogen phosphate together with sodium pyrophosphate in making up one of the solutions. Furthermore, it would be within the compass of my invention to select suitable salts from each appropriate group, salts in the dry form will not necessarily be anhydrous, together with a substrate, in suitable amounts and proportions according to my invention; physically mix them thoroughly together, preferably in a finely divided form or by grinding; stir the whole mixture into water, allow the precipitation and settling to take place; and then perform the necessary separation and drying steps. Mixed substrates, of course, can be used. Once having the knowledge of the catalysts of my invention, one skilled in the art can readily determine a variety of approaches in preparation of the catalysts.

All of my catalysts, as l have described them, are solid materials after preparation. The particular form of the catalyst as to particle size is not critical, but is chosen according to suitability for a particular catalytic reactor. Normally, the prepared catalysts will be in rather finely divided particulate form. If desired, the catalysts can be formed into pellets or lumps or granules according to requirements for a particular reactor. or the type of catalyst bed to be used, or the zone for contacting the lactam vapor.

Lactam Conversion The conversion itself, the ammonialytic cleavage, usually is effected in the gaseous phase. The catalysts are solids. The contacting of the gaseous lactam phase with the solid catalysts can be by any conventional method, such as passing a gaseous stream of lactam and ammonia vapors through a fixed bed of catalyst, or through a fluidized bed of catalyst, or otherwise as may be convenient.

Thus it is necessary, first, to produce a vaporous stream of at least one lactam. The ammonia portion of the vapor stream can be added as the lactam is vaporized, or added separately after the lactam is vaporized, or added as a gaseous phase to a liquid lactam-diluent or dispersant solution. For example, the lactam can be melted into a molten or a liquid form and ammonia gas passed therethrough, the effluent vapors or gases then form a stream which is a mixture of ammonia vapor and lactam vapor. The stream is conducted to a contacting or reaction zone wherein the ammonialytic cleavage is promoted by my catalyst. If desired, the ammonia can be heated prior to passing through the molten lactam.

Alternatively, the lactam can be dissolved in a suitable solvent, ammonia gas passed therethrough, and the resulting effluent gaseous stream then contains vaporized lactam plus ammonia vapor plus vaporized solvent. A more usual procedure is to prepare the lactamdiluent solution-dispersion, admix therewith ammonia gas to form a mixed liquid-gas admixture, and conduct this admixture stream to the hot contacting zone containing the catalyst where the liquid is vaporized and ammonialytic cleavage occurs in the vapor state. Vaporization can be effected prior to the contacting zone, if desired.

The reaction temperatures for ammonialytic cleavage can be in the range of about 250 to 750C.; though more preferably in the range of about 350 to 500 C. Pressures in the range of about 0.1 to as much as 1000 atmospheres can be employed in the reaction zone. More usually, the pressures are within the range of about 1 to atmospheres. Atmospheric pressure is certainly convenient, quite suitable, and therefore frequently employed. The reaction itself can be effected within a range of about 0.1 second to 10 hours, though usually times of between about 1 and 10 seconds are suitable to obtain desired conversion.

While a minimum of 1 mole of ammonia per mole of lactam is required in these reactions, the amount of ammonia actually employed can range up to as much as 1000 moles per mole of lactam. Excess ammonia not consumed in the reaction can ultimately be recovered, such as by condensation, and recycled for reuse. The amount of excess ammonia feasible to employ is limited primarily by economic considerations as to amounts of materials convenient to handle, recover, and recycle. In practice, somewhat more than the minimum amount of ammonia is normally employed, usually at least 10 moles per mole of lactam, since more effective cleavage is obtained thereby.

Examples of the group of lactams wherein n is in the range of from about 3 to 9 include the following as i1- lustrative examples:

6-Aminohexanoic acid lactam 4-aminobutyric acid lactam 10-aminodecanoic acid lactam 10-amino-3-ethyl 5-octadecanoic acid lactam 4amino-2-methy1butyric acid lactam -amino-3-cyclohexy1decanoic acid lactam 8-amino-4,4-dicyclopentaoctanoic acid lactam 10-amino-6-phenyldecanoic acid lactam 10-amino-4-butyl-6-phenyldecanoic acid lactam 6-amino-3-benzylhexanoic acid lactam 5-amino4-(3-ethylcyclohexyl)pentanoic acid lactam 7-amino-5-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)heptanoic acid lactam 8-amino-3-(4-ethy1cyc1ohexy1)octanoic acid lactam 8-amino-2,2,4,4,6,6-hexamethyloctanoic acid lactam 9-amino-2-ethyl-3-methyl-6-phenylnonanoic acid lactam 5-arnino-pentanoic acid lactam and the like.

Diluents can be utilized to make up as much as 90 weight per cent of the total mixture comprised of lactam, ammonia and diluent. Suitable diluents include cyclic hydrocarbons, such as aromatics including benzene, toluene, xylene, and the like; as well as the cycloparaffins including cyclopentane, cyclohexane, and the like. Cyclic ethers also are suitable and include tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran, and the like. Specifically, any diluent can be employed which is substantially nonreactive within the reaction environment, and which will effectively dissolve or disperse the lactam to be cleaved. Desirably, diluents are employed which can be subsequently used to azeotrope water from the reaction mixture which will include diluent, unreacted lactam, unused ammonia, the desired w-aminonitrile, as well as water. Water, of course, is a product of the reaction at the rate of one mole per mole of lactam cleaved.

The w-aminonitrile produced can be recovered from the reaction mixture by any means known to the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,900,310, issued to Johannes H. Ottenheyn Aug. 18, 1959, discloses one suitable means of separating the desired co-aminonitriles.

The foregoing discussion and examples disclose that my complexes of magnesium-aluminum-phosphatesilicate on substrates are highly effective catalysts, particularly to catalyze the ammonialytic cleavage of lactams to the corresponding w-aminonitriles. Reasonable variations and modifications of the process of my invention and the catalysts of my invention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of my disclosure as set forth in the specification hereinabove and the claims hereinafter.

I claim:

1. A method for the conversion of lactam to the corresponding w-aminonitrile which comprises contacting at least one lactam with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of magnesium-aluminum-phosphatesilicate on alumina, si1ica,'or an aluminaor silicacontaining substrate in the presence of at least about 1 mole of ammonia per mole of lactam converted and at elevated temperatures in the range of about 250 to 700 C sufficient to effect ammonialytic cleavage of said lactam to said w-aminonitrile,

wherein in said catalyst composition said magnesiumaluminum-phosphate-silicate represents about 0.5 to 99.5 weight percent of said catalyst composition, the mole ratio of magnesium:a1uminum ranges from about 99:1 to 1:99, and the mole ratio of silicatezphosphate ranges from about 99:1 to 1:99, such that a balance of cationszanions is effected in said magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate. wherein said lactam is represented by the formula wherein n is an integer of 3 to about 9, R is hydrogen, or is alkyl, cycloal aryl, or combination thereof, having up to about 8 carbon atoms per R group with a maximum of about 10 carbon atoms in all R groups.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said contacting employs about 1 to 1000 moles of ammonia per mole of lactam; said contacting employs a pressure of about 0.1 to 1000 atmospheres; and said contacting is during a time of about 0.1 second to about 10 hours.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said lactam and ammonia are substantially in the vapor state during said contacting at elevated temperature with said catalyst composition.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said lactam is substantially predispersed in a diluent, said ammonia as a gas is passed therethrough, thereby forming a vaporous admixture of lactam-diluent-ammonia prior to said contacting.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said diluent constitutes about 1 to weight percent of the total of diluent-ammonia-lactam, and said diluent is essentially nonreactive to the ammonialytic cleavage reaction conditions.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said diluent contains 5 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule and is a cyclic paraffinic hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon, cyclic ether, or mixture of two or more thereof.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein in said catalyst composition the mole ratio of magnesium- :aluminum is about 5:1 to 1:5, the mole ratio of silicate:phosphate is about 5:1 to 1:5, and the catalyst composition consists essentially of in the range of about 15 to 50 weight per cent of rnagnesium-aluminum-silicatephosphate.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said elevated temperature is about 350 to 500 C., said contacting is at a pressure of about 1 to 100 atmospheres, and said process employs up to about 10 moles of ammonia per mole of lactam.

9. The process according to claim 8 wherein said lactam is caprolactam.

10. The method according to claim 2 wherein said catalyst composition consists essentially of coprecipitated magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate on an alumina, silica, or aluminaor silica-containing substrate.

11. A method for the conversion of lactam to the corresponding m-aminonitrile which comprises contacting a lactam represented by the formula l R n 6 C N H wherein n is an integer of 3 to 9, R is hydrogen or is alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or combination thereof, of up to 8 carbon atoms per R group with a maximum of 10 carbon atoms in all R groups,

with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of rnagnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate coprecipitated on an alumina, silica, or aluminaor silica-containing substrate wherein said magnesium and said aluminum each are in a chemically combined form, and wherein said catalyst composition is prepared by the coprecipitation of said magnesium-aluminum phosphate-silicate on said substrate from aqueous solutions containing water soluble salts of said magnesium, silicate, aluminum, and phosphate wherein in said catalyst composition said magnesiumaluminum-phosphate-silicate represents about 0.5 to 99.5 weight percent relative to said substrate, the mole ratio of magnesium:aluminum about 99:1 to 1:99, and the mole ratio of silicatezphosphate ranges about 99:1 to 1:99, such that a balance of cationszanions is effected in said magnesiumaluminum-phosphate-silicate portion of said catalyst composition, 4 and wherein said contacting is in the presence of at least about 1 mole of ammonia per mole of lactam converted, at an effective pressure, at elevated temperatures in the range of about 250 C. to 750 C. and for a time sufficient to effect said ammonialytic cleavage of said lactam to said w-aminonitrile.

12. The process according to claim 11 wherein said aqueous solutions are solutions of magnesium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, sodium silicate, and sodium phosphate, and wherein said support is alumina or silica gel or diatomaceous earth.

13; A method for the conversion of a lactam represented by the formula wherein n is an integer of 3-9, R is hydrogen or is alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or combination thereof, of up to 8 carbon atom per R group with a maximum of 10 carbon atoms in all R groups,

to the corresponding womega-aminonitrile represented by the formula l l H-N- c -c N wherein R and n are as defined above, which comprises contacting said lactam under ammoniolytic cleavage conditions with a catalyst composition consisting essentially of magnesiumaluminum-phosphate-silicate coprecipitated on an alumina, silica, alumina-containing, or silicacontaining substrate wherein said catalyst composition is prepared by the coprecipitation of said magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate on said substrate from aqueous solutions containing water-soluble salts of said magnesium, silicate, aluminum, and phosphate,

wherein in said catalyst composition said magnesiumaluminum-phosphate-silicate represents about 0.5 to 99.5 weight percent relative to said substrate, the mole ratio of magnesiumzaluminum is in the range of about 99:1 to 1:99, and the mole ratio of silicatezphosphate is in the range of about 99:1 to 1:99, such that a balance of cationszanions is effected in said magnesiumaluminum-phosphate-silicate portion of said catalyst composition, said magnesium and said aluminum each are in a chemically combined form;

wherein said contacting under ammonialytic cleavage conditions is conducted in the presence of sufficient ammonia and at elevated temperatures sufficient to effectuate said conversion of said lactam to said w-aminonitrile, said sufficient ammonia representing at least one mole of ammonia per mole of lactam, said elevated temperature is in the range of about 250 to 750 C., and said contacting further is conducted at a pressure in the range of about 1 to 100 atmospheres, and for a contacting time of about 0.1 second to 10 hours, and wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of oz-alumina, n-alumina, 'y-alumina, fluoride compound-treated alumina, alumina-boria, alumina-zirconia, alumina-beryllia, silicon dioxide, silca-zirconia, silica-titania, silica-boria, silicaalumina, silica-alumina-zirconia, silica-aluminaberyllia, silica-alumina-titania, silica-aluminaboria, or mixture. 14. A method for the conversion of a lactam represented by the formula wherein n is an integer of 3-9, R is hydrogen or is alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or combination thereof, of up to 8 carbon atoms per R group with a maximum of 10 carbon atoms in all R groups,

to the corresponding m-aminonitrile represented by the formula range of about 99:1 to 1:99, and the mole ratio of silicate:phosphate is in the range of about 99:1 to 1:99, such that a balance of cationszanions is effected in said magnesium-aluminum-phosphatesilicate portion of said catalyst composition, and said magnesium and said aluminum each are in a chemically combined form;

wherein said contacting under ammonialytic cleavage conditions is conducted in the presence of sufficient ammonia and at elevated temperatures sufficient to effectuate said conversion of said lactam to said w-aminonitrile, said sufficient ammonia representing at least one mole of ammonia per mole of lactam, said elevated temperature is in the range of about 250 to 750 C., and said contacting further is conducted at a pressure in the range of about 1 to atmospheres, and for a contacting time of about 0.1 second to 10 hours,

and wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of alpha-alumina, eta-alumina, gammaalumina, fluoride compound -treated alumina, silica-alumina, alumina-boria, alumina-zirconia, alumina-beryllia, silicon dioxide, silica-zirconia, silica-titania, silicaboria,. silica-alumina-zirconia, silica-alumina-beryllia, or mixture.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate represents about 15 to 50 weight percent relative to said substrate, the mole ratio of magnesium: aluminum ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5, and the mole ratio of silicate:phosphate ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein said magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate represents 15 to 50 weight percent relative to said substrate, the mole ratio of magnesium:aluminum ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5, and the mole ratio of silicate:phosphate ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5;

and wherein said sufficient ammonia is in the range of about 1 to 1,000 moles of ammonia per mole lactam, said elevated temperatures are in the range of about 250 to 750 C, said pressure is in the range of about 0.1 to 1000 atmospheres, and said contacting time is in the range of about 0.1 second to 10 hours.

17. The process according to claim 12 wherein said lactam is caprolactam.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE @ERTEFEQAE'E Q EQ'HQ PATENT NO. 1 3 886 196 DATED Ba 2? 1975 zmzemoa s Raymond. La (3012b H is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Colmm 1.0 claim 1 line 25,, delete "cycloal" and insert cycloeslkyl :5 and fiealed this EUTHI C. MANSON C. MARSHALL DANN Nesting ()jjlcer (nmmisxinner uj'larems and Trademarks 

1. A METHOD FOR THE CONVERSION OF LACTAM TO THE CORRESPONDING W-AMINONTRILE WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING AT LEAST ONE LACTAM WITH A CATALYST COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF MAGNESIUM-ALUMINUM-PHOSPHATE-SILICATE ON ALUMINA,SILICA, OR AN ALUMINA- OR SILICA-CONTAINING SUBSTRATE IN THE PRESENCE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 1 MOLE OF AMMONIA PER MOLE OF LACTAM CONVERTED AND AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 250* TO 700*C SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT AMMONIALYTIC CLEAVAGE OF SAID LACTAM TO SAID 2-AMINONITRILE, WHEREIN IN SAID CATALYST COMPOSITION SAID MAGNESIUNALUMINUM-PHOSPHATE-SILICATE REPRESENTS ABOUT 0.5 TO 99.5 WEIGHT PERCENT OF SAID CATALYST COMPOSITION, THE MOLES RATIO OF MAGNESIUM:ALUMINUMRANGES FROM ABOUT 99.1 TO 1:99, AND THE MOLE RATIO OF SILICATE:PHOSPHATE RANGES FROM ABOUT 99:1 TO 1:99, SUCH THAT A BALANCE OF CATIONS:ANIONS IS EFFECTED IN SAID MAGNESIUM-ALUMINUM-PHOSPHATESILICATE, WHEREIN SAID LACTAM IS REPRESENTED BY THE FORMULA
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said contacting employs about 1 to 1000 moles of ammonia per mole of lactam; said contacting employs a pressure of about 0.1 to 1000 atmospheres; and said contacting is during a time of about 0.1 second to about 10 hours.
 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said lactam and ammonia are substantially in the vapor state during said contacting at elevated temperature with said catalyst composition.
 4. The method according to claim 2 wherein said lactam is substantially predispersed in a diluent, said ammonia as a gas is passed therethrough, thereby forming a vaporous admixture of lactam-diluent-ammonia prior to said contacting.
 5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said diluent constitutes about 1 to 90 weight percent of the total of diluent-ammonia-lactam, and said diluent is essentially nonreactive to the ammonialytic cleavage reaction conditions.
 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said diluent contains 5 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule and is a cyclic paraffinic hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon, cyclic ether, or mixture of two or more thereof.
 7. The method according to claim 2 wherein in said catalyst composition the mole ratio of magnesium:aluminum is about 5:1 to 1:5, the mole ratio of silicate:phosphate is about 5:1 to 1:5, and the catalyst composition consists essentially of in the range of about 15 to 50 weight per cent of magnesium-aluminum-silicate-phosphate.
 8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said elevated temperature is about 350* to 500* C., said contacting is at a pressure of about 1 to 100 atmospheres, and said process employs up to about 10 moles of ammonia per mole of lactam.
 9. The process according to claim 8 wherein said lactam is caprolactam.
 10. The method according to claim 2 wherein said catalyst composition consists essentially of coprecipitated magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate on an alumina, silica, or alumina- or silica-containing substrate.
 11. A metHod for the conversion of lactam to the corresponding omega -aminonitrile which comprises contacting a lactam represented by the formula
 12. The process according to claim 11 wherein said aqueous solutions are solutions of magnesium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, sodium silicate, and sodium phosphate, and wherein said support is alumina or silica gel or diatomaceous earth.
 13. A method for the conversion of a lactam represented by the formula
 14. A method for the conversion of a lactam represented by the formula
 15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate represents about 15 to 50 weight percent relative to said substrate, the mole ratio of magnesium: aluminum ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5, and the mole ratio of silicate:phosphate ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5.
 16. The method according to claim 11 wherein said magnesium-aluminum-phosphate-silicate represents 15 to 50 weight percent relative to said substrate, the mole ratio of magnesium:aluminum ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5, and the mole ratio of silicate:phosphate ions is in the range of about 5:1 to 1:5; and wherein said sufficient ammonia is in the range of about 1 to 1,000 moles of ammonia per mole lactam, said elevated temperatures are in the range of about 250* to 750* C, said pressure is in the range of about 0.1 to 1000 atmospheres, and said contacting time is in the range of about 0.1 second to 10 hours.
 17. The process according to claim 12 wherein said lactam is caprolactam. 